Create ‘ease of doing technology business’ platform: Modi to CSIR scientists

Calling upon scientists to focus on people centric researches, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to come up with an “ease of doing technology business” platform to bring in “right stakeholders” so that different technologies can reach beneficiaries across the country.

Inaugurating the CSIR Platinum Jubilee Celebrations on Monday, Modi emphasised the need to connect science with the common citizens in this “technology-driven century.” He said that the organisation had to gear themselves up to provide “time bound” delivery of solutions.

Though the CSIR labs had immensely contributed to developing affordable technology — from tractors to diabetic drugs — for the country, it needed to ensure that there was no duplication of research efforts.

Commending the research works of National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Modi said, “Recently, CSIR has developed the first ayurvedic medicine for diabetic patients. All of you are aware about the potential of this medicine. Now our goal should be to make people aware of the benefits of this medicine so that they can make best use of the same.”

It’s pertinent to mention that both NBRI and CIMAP has jointly developed country’s first scientifically-confirmed anti-diabetes Ayurvedic drug BGR-34 (Blood Glucose Regulator-34), which has been designed for type-2 diabetes mellitus and scientifically validated for its efficacy and safety. The technology has been transferred to AIMIL Pharmaceuticals (India).

“There should be a platform such that scientists learn what’s happening in one lab and then orient themselves to new challenges,” he told at the gathering of heads of CSIR labs and recipients of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards, one of India’s most prestigious awards for scientists. The PM also exhorted scientists to develop affordable agricultural tools and new varieties of plants to accomplish the mission of doubling farmers’ income by 2022.